Privacy Policy

Last updated: 29 August 2026

1. Who we are 

Beyond the Cork
Business address: 19 The Hamlet, Waterford Gardens, Climping, BN17 5RY
Email: simon@beyondthecork.co.uk
Telephone: 07711 876033

For UK data-protection law, Simon Benstead is the controller of the personal information described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Information we may collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

Contact and identity information

This may include your name, delivery and billing address, email address, telephone number and confirmation that you are aged 18 or over.

Order and transaction information

This may include the products or services ordered, order value, delivery instructions, payment status, refunds, gift messages and transaction references.

Payment-card information is processed by our payment provider. Beyond the Cork does not ordinarily receive or store your full payment-card number or security code.

Booking and event information

This may include event dates, guest numbers, venue details, chosen tasting, wine preferences, correspondence, accessibility requirements and dietary or allergy information voluntarily provided to us.

Gift-recipient information 

Where a customer sends a gift, we may receive the recipient’s name, delivery address, telephone number, gift message and delivery instructions.

The purchaser is responsible for ensuring that they are entitled to provide the recipient’s details and that the recipient is aged 18 or over.

Marketing preferences

This includes whether you have subscribed to our newsletter, when and how consent was obtained, and whether you have unsubscribed.

Communications

We may retain emails, telephone notes, website enquiries, social-media messages and other correspondence with customers and prospective customers.

Website and technical information

This may include IP address, device and browser information, pages visited, cookie identifiers and information about how our website is used.

3. How we collect information

We may collect information:

• Directly from you when you order, make an enquiry, book a tasting or subscribe. 
• Through our online shop and website provider. 
• Through payment and ticketing platforms. 
• From a person purchasing a gift for you. 
• From a venue or event organiser where appropriate. 
• Through cookies and similar website technologies. 
• From social-media platforms when you contact or interact with us there. 

4. Why we use your information

We use personal information for the following purposes.

To supply an order or service

We use information to:

• Process and confirm orders. 
• Take payment. 
• Deliver wine or gifts. 
• Arrange tastings, events and consultations. 
• Issue and redeem gift vouchers. 
• Respond to questions, cancellations and complaints. 
• Provide customer service. 

The usual lawful basis is that the processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you.

To meet legal obligations

We may use and retain information for accounting, tax, licensing, age-verification, product-safety, fraud-prevention and other legal requirements.

To operate and protet the business

We may use information to administer our website, maintain business records, prevent misuse, investigate problems, defend legal claims and improve customer service.

The lawful basis is normally our legitimate interest in operating and protecting Beyond the Cork, provided those interests do not override your rights.

To send marketing

We may send newsletters, event announcements, wine recommendations and offers:

• Where you have consented; or 
• Where the law permits us to contact an existing customer about similar products or services. 

Every marketing email will provide a straightforward way to unsubscribe. We do not sell personal information to other businesses for their own marketing.

Electronic marketing must generally be based on consent or the limited existing-customer “soft opt-in”, with an opportunity to opt out when details are collected and in every subsequent message. 

Allergies, health and accessibility information

Information concerning an allergy, health condition or accessibility need may be treated as sensitive personal information.

Where you voluntarily provide this information, we will normally use it with your explicit consent and only for the relevant booking or event.

5. Who we share information with

We share personal information only where reasonably necessary.

Recipients may include:

• GoDaddy, as our website and online-shop provider. 
• Square or another payment provider, for processing payments and refunds. 
• Ticket Tailor or another ticketing platform, where used for events. 
• Our delivery courier or local delivery provider. 
• Email and newsletter providers. 
• Accountants, bookkeepers, insurers, legal advisers and professional advisers. 
• Venues, event organisers or caterers where information is needed for the booking. 
• Police, licensing authorities, HM Revenue & Customs, courts, regulators or other public authorities where required by law. 
• A purchaser or recipient where necessary to resolve a gift delivery. 

Service providers may use the information only for the relevant service or in accordance with their own legal responsibilities.

6. International processing

Some technology providers may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this occurs, we will rely on an applicable adequacy decision, approved contractual safeguards or another lawful transfer mechanism.

7. How long we retain information

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary.

Our normal retention periods are:

• Order, payment and accounting records: normally six years after the relevant transaction or accounting period. 
• Customer enquiries that do not result in a sale: normally up to two years after the last meaningful contact. 
• Event and tasting records: normally up to two years, or longer where required for financial records, insurance or a legal issue. 
• Allergy and accessibility information: normally deleted within 30 days after the event unless an incident, complaint or legal requirement justifies longer retention. 
• Marketing records: until you unsubscribe or we decide the contact is no longer active. 
• Suppression records: limited information may be retained to ensure that someone who has unsubscribed is not added back to marketing inadvertently. 
• Cookie information: for the periods stated in our Cookie Policy or cookie-preference centre. 

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for functions such as shopping baskets, checkout, security, preferences, analytics and embedded content.

Essential cookies may operate without consent where they are necessary to provide the website or service requested.

Where consent is required for analytics, advertising or other non-essential technologies, we will ask for it through our cookie banner or preference tool.

More information is provided in our Cookie Policy.

9. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information. These include limiting access, using reputable payment and technology providers, protecting accounts and retaining only the information reasonably needed.

No online system is completely secure, but we review our arrangements and take appropriate action when a security issue is identified.

10. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• Ask for access to your personal information. 
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information. 
• Ask us to delete information. 
• Ask us to restrict its use. 
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests. 
• Object to direct marketing. 
• Receive certain information in a portable format. 
• Withdraw consent. 
• Complain about the way we use personal information. 

These rights are not absolute and legal exceptions may apply.

We may need to confirm your identity before responding. We do not ordinarily charge a fee.

11. Data-protection complaints

To make a data-protection complaint, email:

simon@beyondthecork.co.uk

Please use the subject line “Data Protection Complaint” and explain what has happened and what outcome you are seeking.

We will:

1. Acknowledge the complaint within 30 days. 
2. Investigate it without undue delay. 
3. Keep you informed where the investigation takes longer. 
4. Explain the outcome and any action taken. 

You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Current UK requirements introduced in June 2026 require organisations to provide a clear complaints process, acknowledge data-protection complaints within 30 days and investigate them without undue delay. 

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to our services, providers or legal responsibilities.

The date at the top shows when it was last updated.